Prevent Parvo and Distemper Without Vaccination
Real World Tested
Imagine avoiding risky vaccinations while getting very strong immune protection against parvo and distemper, the two potentially deadly diseases of puppies. That’s not only possible, but it’s been proven to work in the real world by my homeopathic vet colleague in New Jersey, USA.
After a decade of testing this in her clinic’s puppy population, she’s confident her evidence based finding works and is far safer than vaccines.
Spending time with others of like mind often enhances your own understanding and clarifies your goals. It’s been said you are the sum of the five people you hang out with the most. Have you found your pack that supports you? Do your friends further your thoughts and share your goals?
These past four days (some years ago now), I’ve been rubbing shoulders with some forty colleagues in veterinary homeopathy in the desert of Arizona. Several of us presented cases and we all learned from each other’s successes and struggles. We differed in our years of experience but our determination was one: we were here to improve the lives of those animals who found us, naturally.
Inherent in this work is sharing our knowledge with you, the animal owner on the front lines, often struggling within a broken medical system.
Ideas Are Infectious: Come and Get Naturally Immunized!
You know vaccinations are grossly over provided in our broken system of veterinary medicine. The pushing of vaccinations by Dr. WhiteCoat throughout your animal’s life doesn’t add to her immunity. Not even a little. That’s what we know from veterinary immunologists whose life’s work is measuring and quantifying the immune response.
And you know that vaccines are harmful. Chronic disease often follows vaccination, even a single vaccination.
When you were exposed to these ideas, you likely resisted at first, as your old paradigm wouldn’t square with such seemingly radical thoughts. How could someone taking care of my animals do something to them that was useless, expensive, and ultimately harmful to their well being? Something that could damage the rest of their lives?
The more you looked into it and the more evidence you weighed, the more these ideas “took:” vaccinations repeated throughout life were not necessary and were downright risky!
You became “immunized” from the exposure to these ideas and started acted accordingly. Intelligently responding, like a well tuned immune system, you started tearing up the reminder post cards saying your animal was “due” for vaccination yet again (as if her immunity was a finite quantity that ran out, a reservoir with a leak).
Your newly acquired “immunity” went deep. You’d no longer expose those animals in your care to the unnecessary risks that come with repeated vaccinations. Perhaps you shared your new found understanding with those open minded enough to listen. At dog parks, pet shows, horse shows and in online communities.
You learned you were far from alone: many others were spreading these potent ideas in many different avenues.
And your animals began to shine as you dropped out of the broken medical system, and began feeding in much healthier ways. Avoiding toxic pesticides. And taking heartworm prevention to a much higher level, using drug free and effective methods.
Hello, Vital Animal. Come over here, I want to rub on you a while.
Using Nature to Immunize
Now comes a genuine booster idea for you from my time in the desert, being exposed to lots of healthy ideas from my colleagues in the trenches of holistic vet practice.
A lecture on parvo by Dr. Todd Cooney lit us up, as he showed us statistics from his homeopathic practice in Indiana that the vaccinated pups had less chance of surviving parvo than those not vaccinated for that disease! Hands shot up, voices added to the din of discussion, and ideas whizzed through the now electrified air:
- Parvo vaccine itself was immune suppressive.
- Parvovirus was ubiquitous in the environment.
- Animals treated homeopathically when sick with parvo had far better survival rates than those treated with the usual drugs.
- Distemper was prevented by taking pups to a known wildlife area where raccoons with distemper lived.
Sccrreeeccch.
Did I just hear that right? Yes, Dr. Rosemary Manziano learned of the outbreak of canine distemper in raccoons in her area through the CDC. She boldly suggested to her puppy owners over a period of 11 years that they visit a pond known to be a hangout for these raccoons. After a brief period of sniffing around the bushes and maybe drinking the water, the pups were brought home.
This was repeated a week later, and on the third week, the good doctor would test for distemper titers, the evidence of immune response. Lo and behold, these pups had fantastic titers indicating strong immunity! And, in case you’re wondering, not one puppy ever got sick in the least. This happened in well over a hundred pups and was, as Dr. Manziano called it, “fool proof immunization.”
After eleven years, it stopped working. She assumed that the disease in raccoons had run its course, natural resistance having been gained by their population. What to do now?
Dr. Manziano suggested that her new pup owners who wanted natural immunization take short, five minute visits to the most popular dog parks. Those parks with the highest dog traffic were recommended.
The procedure was simple:
- Open car door.
- Let pup out on the ground in the busiest part of the park.
- Time five minutes.
- Load up and go home.
Once again, after a couple of exposures like this, titers were drawn and were found high against both distemper and parvo. Immunization had taken place. How many got symptoms of either disease? None. Not one pup ever fell ill in years of doing this.
In case you’re wondering, “How long will this immunity last?” the answer is simple: a lifetime! Remember the understanding of the veterinary immunologists from way back in 1992:
Immunity to viral diseases lasts a very long time, likely a lifetime.
Try This At Home! Spread The Idea!
So, if your goal is natural immunization without the significant risks of vaccination, learn from the experience of a fine holistic vet and her many puppy patients for well over a decade and try this for yourself.
Help to spread the infectiously attractive ideas of natural health and Vital Animals by sharing this information far and wide. See those sharing buttons at the top and bottom of this article? Click on one of your favorites and see what good you can foster in the world of holistic health for the animals.
Update, February 2016
I recently corresponded with Dr. Manziano again, and a couple of points have changed as her work continues:
- She has the puppy owners wait to start until 12 weeks of age.
- They now have 3 weeks of exposure, once a week.
- Titer test is on week 4.
Still, no one has gotten sick following this and titers have been high, indicating immunization has taken place.
Carry on.
Update, November 2020
Are you nervous to trust this system alone on your newest bundle of joy?
If so, you can up your already high odds of safety by providing two additional protectors to the equation. This is info I’ve shared with my enrolled students for years, but let’s get it out there for everyone now:
- Add nosodes for parvo and distemper. My students in the Nosodes, Tautodes & Titers course learned all about these powerful tools and their long history of safety and efficacy against all manner of infectious disease in dogs and humans.
- Boost your pup’s immune system with Venjenz’ Motherboard, the powerful combination of transfer factors, medicinal mushrooms, and other synergistic ingredients.
Bonus points come to those buying pups from a breeder when they’ve asked their breeder to NOT vaccine their pup, even if the rest of the litter is getting shots (listen to Vital Animal Podcast episode #11 on why this makes logical sense).
Let us know in the comments if you’ve raised a vaccine free pup yet. The folks I hear from who have are tickled with how how vital, balanced, and shiny their newbies are growing into adulthood.
Thank you for this great article. I just wanted to tell you that 5 years ago I took the plunge and did not give my new Bernese Mtn Dog any vaccines. I found a wonderful breeder who was on board with this and did not give the first set of shots that my boy’s siblings got at 8 weeks. I took him right home that day the others got their shots. Interestingly 3 puppies came down with a “parvo like” illness a couple of days later and spent 3 days at the vet’s. They survived thankfully. I gave my boy the parvo and distemper nosodes and at 12 weeks took him to the local dog park for 5 minutes a week. He never got sick, not even a tiny bit of diarrhea! I tested his titers at 5 months and they were positive! He is also fed raw and lives a very active and healthy life. Now, at 5 years old, he is the healthiest Berner that I know…no allergies, no health issues whatsoever. Fingers crossed that he will live a very long life.
This is so inspiring, Linda! And revealing, eh? Not unusual to see some illness after the vaccines, which are immunosuppressive. Often diagnosed as coccidia or giardia, and the pups get a microbiome whacking with a course of antibiotics.
I think this guy is on his way to break Berner records!
Nice work!
I will be buying a puppy soon and I am interested in this natural way of immunizing against distemper but when I check the rules of dog parks they say your dog must be vaccinated to enter. Now what?
SO glad to have found your website! My son insisted we not vaccinate our new puppy and i was skeptical, but after a conversation with Dr. Patricia Jordan and now your information, I’m SOLD. Our puppy came from a breeder who had given her 2 puppy shots prior to us receiving her, and when I tried to get a titer test done – Dr. Whitecoat talked me out of it, saying – nothing will show up anyway because the mother’s immunity will have overridden the vaccines. She had absolutely no response for me when asked “then why immunize so early in the first place?”. Anyway – my question is this…I’ve purchased and am starting to use the Nosodes for Parvo and Distemper, but my puppy is now 4.5 mos old. Should I continue past the 9 mo mark because we’re starting later or stop at 9 mos? Thanks again!
No need to go longer, Cindy. 9 mo is chosen because by then, the immune system is mature and the danger of parvo is past. You can restart either if you hear of a big outbreak in your area, which would more likely (but still rarely) be distemper.
Super smart question you asked the vet! Not surprised she had no answer.
I’m not sure my question went through so if this is a repeat I apologize. My 12.5 week puppy had 1 combination vaccination at 8 weeks. I’m walking her in our neighborhood in S.C. that has various critters around; probably raccoons, possums squirrels and dogs but probably not unvaccinated dogs., some outdoor cats. Will that be enough or should I give nosodes from your kit? If so how often until when? Thank you
Looking to view these articles on parvo and non-vaccines for our new pup but I need them in PDF form or something else? The website is not user friendly, wants you to open in another browser but that doesn’t work??? It should be difficult and hard??? Argh. Can you send to my email address without all the compliations?
Thanks.
Hey Lynnette, these articles are free to read right here, right on the page you’ve left this comment on. No need to download a PDF, though you may want to learn how to do this for other things I have on Vital Animal Pack. Best bet if that’s giving you pause is to ask a neighbor kid who’s over 13 to help you. Dead simple, once you learn how.
For now, enjoy this and many more articles right here. If you want to search for more, use the search box over on the right side and drop a term in that you’re interested in. For example, “heartworm” or “vaccination” or “puppies” and you’ll be quickly faced with a listing of everything I’ve written on that subject.
I’ve purposely made it simple to access for everyone. All the best to you and yours. WF
Also wondered what is safe to use to get rid of roaches without poisoning our pets…. & us???
Hey Tomi! Great question! Both can be addressed from some of info I’ve got on my Non-Toxic Flea Control page: http://vitalanimal.com/non-toxic-flea-control/
Hey Dr.Falconer…..how do we get rid of fleas & keep them off our cats & dogs????
Thank you so much for this information Dr. Falconer!!! I was hoping to get your thoughts on my current puppy situation.
I will be bringing home an unvaccinated 8 week old puppy in 10 days. I asked the breeder if she would be willing to not give him his 6 week old “puppy shots” and she agreed to it. My plans for this puppy will be to keep him unvaccinated, raw fed and an intact male.
So now my pup is going to spend 2 weeks with his Vaccinated litter mates and I’m a bit nervous now after reading all these comments that I will get a sick puppy.
Any insight and advice?
I wouldn’t expect a sick pup from the others shedding virus. He’d get it orally, a much safer route than an injection. Just be sure you’re protecting when he gets home. I coach my students to use three things together for best results:
That way, you’ve got max results with minimal risk. All the best,
WF
My 8 year old diabetic dog is past due for her parvo/distemper vax & I am terrified….help?? Also I want my critters OFF KIBBLE….HELP??
There’s NO LAW that says you must vaccinate for parvo or distemper, Tomi. Just refuse. Period. “No,” is a complete sentence.
Raw food? http://vitalanimal.com/feed-for-vitality/
Unfortunately I “Caved” to the Vet & she has been dragging around for days….even rushed her back to Vet’s for a urinalysis (which is negative for infection) I am disgusted & ashamed that I allowed myself to be railroaded AGAIN.
Unfortunately I caved……this Vet actually expects me to vaccinate her EVERY YEAR to stay with her practice……now I need to find a new Vet……Poppy was sick for days after that vaccine……I need wisdom & advice to get her off GlycoBalance & for a new Vet please?
Hi Tomi,
It’s going to take some digging, but there are good holistic and better homeopathic vets out there. To search them out, see my Recommended Resources page for the AHVMA and my fave, the AVH lists. Don’t hesitate to work with a vetted homeopathic vet long distance, as there aren’t enough of us to go around, sorry to say. I put a video up on how to sort the best ones here. And, you’ll want to interview a few until you’re happy that they’ll support your needs.
Please advise me on how to get & keep my diabetic dogs teeth clean??
http://vitalanimal.com/natural-dental-prevention/
Dr. Falconer What would cause a 5 year old dog to go blind & arthritic in less than a month???
The history of treatments given in the month prior would be the first place to look.
Dear Dr. Falconer…..our 5 year old boy has H.B.P. & is now blind :'( Do you have any suggestions how we can possibly heal his eyes?? And what is the best economical way to feed raw or a homemade diet???
Any good homemade recipes that are safe for a diabetic gal & a hbp boy?? Or raw made simple for us??
Hi Will,
I have a 5 year old pup going on 10. I absolutely believe he has gained some chronic ailments from vaccinations. His now fired vet has told me over and over it is ok to give him the vaccine – while he was not 100%. He was vaccinated after neutering surgery. He was dealing with chronic GI upset (I thought maybe worms) but again said it was ok to vaccinate at that time. And again he had chronic coughing and labeled “allergies”, again another shot.
I held off as long as possible. I’m a dutiful parent but how can I get out of these vaccines?
I live in utah, but I’ll be damned if I have to give him another shot.
I am on the road to a Thuja and silícea remedy, I have been giving him many natural supplements.
My boy has a chronic backwards sneeze, a dry hacking cough w no production, weight gain, hypothyroid, and lethargy. All slowly materialized after his “issues”.
I’m sure if I walked in and said he was due they would be happy to give him another with no thoughts on his now state of health. This is a nationwide vet company he was going to and they absolutely need to stop this over vaccinating and especially when animals are sick. My pup has the ailments they are trying to avoid. I don’t feel like I can give him any more without slowly watching his life drain away.
Nature rules in my book, how can I get my pup back to healthy? Will his system regulate and flush them out on its own over time? Does thuja help? What’s the best way to send a letter to my old vet? They need to stop this unethical practice.
Hey Heidi,
I’m with you. None of this illness “fell from the sky!” It’s a result of overbearing vet intervention, especially all the vaccines. What you describe is all chronic disease. Not DIY, nor will Thuja fix this alone.
The way out is to hire a qualified homeopathic vet, even if in another state. I have a video link on how I recommend choosing a good one on this page: http://vitalanimal.com/recommended-resources/
Scroll down till you see “Sources of Holistic Vets” and there’s the AVH list. Right after that, the grey box with my video link.
You can FIRE any vet that’s been a perp in all this and tell them why, if you’re feeling bold. Basic fact: every vaccine is labeled “ONLY for use in healthy dogs, etc.”
Hi there,
We will be bringing home an unvaccinated puppy at 9 weeks of age. We live in England and there are no ‘dog parks’ here but we have a large park near us where dogs frequently walk both on and off leash. Would this be sufficient? Just 5 minutes? Does puppy have to actually come in contact with other dogs or is sniffing around as effective?
I’m nervous about this protocol but am also very awake about vaccines so understand the importance of gaining natural immunity.
Thank you.
I have a question about exposing puppies to parvo and distemper at a park to build immunity. My puppy was vaccinated at six weeks for parvo and distemper before I got him. He is now 14 weeks and I do not want to continue to vaccinate him. Should I still take him to do the dog park immunity building for 5 min for a few weeks?
Here’s the “thinking for yourself” version of my answer, Channa:
Q: How likely is there any immunity gained from vaccinating a pup at 6 weeks of age?
A: very, very little. Mom’s antibodies block the effect of vaccines up till 16 weeks in some dogs and definitely in MOST pups at 6 weeks.
Hi Dr. Falconer,
For the natural immunity protocol, does it matter if it’s rained? I want to start doing this with my new puppy and in fact we did do one exposure on Friday, but it had rained I think that day, so just wondering if you know if that matters or not.
Hi
I am getting the crocker spaniel who is between 8-9 weeks old. She is from a farm and outdoor area, so I know she will have good immunity. I will try this method of short exposure to boost up immunity. As a fact ,I know homeopathy works( used it on myself and my family). I will also use food (Kefir, turmeric, a tiny little garlic, ghee, yogurt) and oils( cure sesame oils and Ayurvedic oils) for the puppy to keep her healthy.
How about food??
Lots of food choices, Rumy. Here’s a page to start you out: http://vitalanimal.com/feed-for-vitality/
And the “good immunity” she’s likely got at her age is from her mom. It’s called “passive immunity” and only lasts till 12-16 weeks or so, and then it disappears.
So glad you’re starting this one out naturally!
I was wondering g if you could give me any info on natural prevention of heart worms. I don’t want to get the heart worm injection for my 5 year old Maltese and was hoping for an alternative solution.
Absolutely, Kathy. Here’s my drug free protocol for prevention of heartworm that’s been working for hundreds of dogs over several decades now: https://vitalanimal.com/drugfreeheartworm/
In fact, it’s the only prevention program I’m aware of that actually makes your dog healthier the longer you are on it!
Sorry, I forgot to mention the puppy is coming to me completely unvaccinated.
Hi, so I’m curious, I’m acquiring two livestock guardian dogs next month. We just bought a farm and thus I do not know what animals and diseases may be on that land (other than there were cows and horses there when we visited). One of the dogs we are getting is 7 years old and has been partially vaccinated. The other dog, her puppy, will be 8 weeks old when we bring her home. Because these are working dogs they are not able to be kept inside for any length of time. I’m very nervous about bringing an 8 week old onto this land that could have diseases on it (and definitely there are wild animals coming and going). It’s not the “5 minute” exposure but 24/7 exposure. What’s the best thing to do with a dog like this? Thanks.
I don’t understand i have a neighbor who’s Dog wasn’t vaccinated and got parvo If you don’t vaccinate and expose them what happens if they get parvo isn’t this playing with fire ?
There are a couple of points here, Melissa:
1. Exposure here is very controlled. Read the protocol very carefully. It’s based on over a decade of solid research in puppies in the real world. NONE of them got sick.
2. The studies are there that show animals vac’d for parvo often have worse recovery rates when they get parvo than those who were NOT vac’d. This again, is coming from real world veterinary practice data.
So, no. Not playing with fire here. Using solid data to get the best outcome possible.
p.s. read #2 again: parvo vaccinated pups still can and do get parvo. Don’t assume otherwise. Those same parvo-vac’d pups often break with coccidia diarrhea shortly after they were vac’d by the breeder.
I’d like to know if the temperature matters outside when your doing the parvo 3 week exposer? I’ve done this the last 2weeks and it’s 10° here today and it’s my day to take her, and does it matter the age to do this? She got puppy shots b4 she came home at 8weeks but I never let her after, she 1-1/2 now. Had her titer tested for distemper & parvo last month, she was pos for being immune to distemper (I swear it’s because she has hinted since she was 9 months old and killed raccoons, hedgehogs and squirrels) but she was neg on parvo immunity so I started the bark park method. Just wanted to make sure the temp doesn’t make a difference so I kno if I should repeat, didn’t want to pay for extra titer unless I had too, they had a hard time getting her vein, I didn’t like that.
Thank you
My 5yr old Doberman had titers done for the first time for distemper and parvo and adenovirus. The only vaccine he has ever had was the combo at 6 weeks old. He has been exposed daily to our forest that is frequented by raccoons, opposums, skunk, coyote. He went to obedience starting at 10 weeks old, and to two dog shows as a puppy. His titers came back great, though the conventional vet said he would need boosters next year (which I won’t be doing, this was just for curiosity sake to see if he had antibodies). I didn’t tell her he’s only ever had 1 shot at 6 weeks. But I should. And that one shot may not even have been effective as the maternal antibodies in the puppy at this age can interfere with the vaccine. Possibly he gained natural immunity through his environment?
Four days ago we brought home a 10 week puppy from an unknown and out of state breeder who reported that she had “all her shots and is due for her follow up.” Though the puppy didn’t look to be in good health, she was curious and playful and we were hopeful. I knew it was risky. Two days later she became very weak with diarrhea and vomiting and would no longer take food. Today she has nothing left to expel, but has now squatted out a puddle of brownish blood. I’m afraid she may not survive. There are no vets in my area that I can trust. Is there a homeopathic remedy that might help her?
Did your puppy survive Yvette???
Can this same method be used to gain exposure to rabies? Will slow exposure create rabies antibodies? I don’t want to give the rabies vaccine, but would like some sign of immunity in the titer.
Hey Tina,
This remains a mystery to me, as we’ve all been taught it takes a bite by a rabid animal to spread the rabies virus. And yet, some have obviously not had such a bite and yet, develop a titer.
I breed Labrador retrievers naturally, have only fed a good raw diet supplemented with herbs and never vaccinated any of my dogs for the last 11 years. We live in the Phoenix Valley in the winter and the Mountains in the Blue Ridge Area during the summer where my dogs are exposed to coyotes, raccoons, bats, and all kinds of wildlife. I have successfully dealt with parvovirus several times but not something we like putting our pups through. As I write, one of my relatives who is breeding from my line and following my natural rearing protocol is loosing her pack from distemper in Colorado. Her GR CH brought it back from a dog show under the guise of canine flu. All five of her dogs have contracted distemper, a six month old died 4 days ago and his sister is declining. The momma dog has neurological damage and cannot keep her balance, another 2 yr old is slowly improving however, his sister, the GR CH, is over it with no visible side effects. Nothing she’s treated them with has helped. These dogs have strong immune systems and have had gradual exposure to the viruses out there for some time. I fear this is a mutated strain of distemper that has something to do with the flu.
I’m moving to Texas in a couple of months and I’m very anxious for the welfare of my pack. We have labs from 6 months to 11 years. I’m looking at Titers, tautodes and vaccines. Need some reassurance and guidance here please.
Hi there. I’m writing to ask you how to cleanse a yard (grass and plants) of distemper. I recently had a dog pass due to having distemper after fighting doing all we could for 3 weeks to save her. The time will come soon and another rescue dog will find us… I want to make sure the disease is completely out of the yard. Can’t find much online about it and I’m wondering if you can point me in the right direction.
Thank you.
If a 7 yr old dog shows no antibodies for distemper or parvo after a titer but all other blood results are normal, can it be assumed that his immune system is strong enough to handle a potential exposure to either disease? We don’t normally visit dog parks but do walk in public parks but I know of no outbreaks of either one of these diseases in our area. We do have some coyotes in a park in our neighborhood that are occasionally seen but they appear to be perfectly healthy so I may have a problem getting him to self vaccinate by exposure. Any suggestions.
Hi Dr. Falconer,
Thankfully, I heard about you and your website one week before we brought home our 9-week-old Saluki puppy. Your approach resonates with me deeply, and I am relieved to know alternative methods exist to conventional Western medicine. So, I devoured every article you wrote on raising a puppy naturally, and we have followed your recommendations. Our pup received one round of DHLPP while with the breeder, but we have not given any more vaccines since bringing her home. We transitioned her to a raw balanced diet, feed her the transfer factor daily, and we followed Dr. Manziano’s procedure for exposure. When we titered her last week, she was protected from Distemper (yay!) but not Parvo. Do you have any thoughts on how we can achieve the Parvo immunity moving forward? REALLY wanting to avoid vaccine!
Thank you for being a valuable resource, and especially making it easy for beginners like me!
Hey Morgan,
Yes, I think the likelihood is your choice of “moderate to high dog traffic” area wasn’t quite busy enough. Parvo is far more common than distemper, and it’s ubiquitous in areas frequented by dogs. I’d repeat the limited exposure in a busier canine gathering place (provided you’re not hearing about dog flu in your locale — if so, you may want to wait till that sorts itself out).
Morgan,
Can you follow up with what happened after this post? I have the same issue right not. My foster puppy, exposed a few times with nosodes, titered very high for distemper but not for parvo. One visit was a dog park, the rest were the elementary school where all the neighbors take their dogs. But, the puppy was between 12-15 weeks old. Dr. Falconer, are there maternal antibodies to individual diseases? I am trying again and hoping for the best. Thank you! Kelly
Hi Will,
I would like to learn what the best natural treatment is for distemper.
Hello Dr Will Falconer, DVM,
I love this approach! I have researched vaccines for years! I am scared of immunity the natural way but I am going to try it! I am more scared of vaccines!
My puppy will be 14 weeks old in 3 days. She has NEVER been vaccinated for anything. The protocol from Dr. Manziano says to start at 12 weeks, will it still be successful with my pup being 14 weeks? We have a busy dog park 15 min away, and I can go tomorrow. I have also been taking her to puppy classes since 10 weeks so she had been around other pups who were vaccinated in case that means anything. Thank you so much!!
Oh PS my pup has always been raw feed, her mom was raw feed. I got my pup from the UK and I live in the US mostly because this was one of the only raw feeding non vaccinating breeders for my breed! Thanks again!!
Absolutely you can start later, Rhiannon! Go for it, and keep an eye out for our NR course, due to appear again in August. I chart out the entire first year in a pup’s life to help you make all the wisest decisions.
Hi Dr Falconer! I never saw your response even thou I looked for it right after I made the post, weird! Anyway I did the protocol sort of. Here is my story:
I waited until my pup Braxee was older (18 weeks) and then I only took her to the dog park parking lot ONCE for 5 min (yes I set a timer!) I did not do the recommend once a week for 4 weeks. I was just too scared…
And now for the great, amazing news! IT WORKED!!!!!! Braxee’s titers show she is completely immune to parvo AND distemper at one year of age!!!!!! She NEVER had ONE shot in her entire life! I did not follow the protocol exactly as specified, but I am guessing some extra exposure came from my dog room and dog yard, since I would let her briefly play in there from time to time with my guest dogs. It is kind of like a dog park after all, since I run a dog boarding business out of my home. SO happy and AMAZED that the natural immunity worked!
By the way my traditional vet was shocked! When I was doing this protocol he was against it, and said I was taking a risk. He said: “there is a very small, slight possibility, that maybe you can get her immune from parvo that way, but in no way will it work with distemper…”
When the blood titer results came back for Braxee showing that she was indeed protected with no vaccines, my vet was extremely surprised! He said “are you sure she never had any vaccines, not even from the breeder?” He also said, “this is very interesting.” He went on to say that he will always remember this, and that he will tell all his colleagues. He also was shocked that the distemper titer was even stronger than the parvo titer!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!! Thank you so much for this article! It worked, and my 15 month old puppy has always been really healthy!! She never stepped foot in a vet office until 1 year of age when I had her blood work done for parvo/distemper titers, CBC and a thyroid panel. All came back perfect! She has eaten raw for whole life, even with the breeder, and no vaccines ever!! That makes her a happy, healthy girl! Thank you again so much!!!! If I breed her next year I will NOT be vaccinating any of the puppies before they go to their new homes, and I will educate all the puppy families what I did and how I feel about vaccines! 😉
Oh, Rhiannon, you made my day! Nice work!
You’ve clearly demonstrated that immunization is something separate and distinct from vaccination (even short-changing the protocol as you did). I’m going to guess Braxee had plenty of exposure to visiting dogs, some of whom had been vaccinated some time earlier (and were likely shedding live viruses as a result). And that’s what made up for your too-brief dog park exposure.
I’m so happy for you and Braxee, and I love your dedication to carrying this on to others. Bravo!!
Thank you so much Dr Falconer!!! I am so glad I made your day! It made my year! 🙂
In the puppy socialization class I took her to, there were also recently vaccinated puppies, so I am guessing they were shedding the virus and that was additional exposure for her as well. I had to “fake” a vaccine record in order for her to be in the class. I just typed one up, and they didn’t look at it too closely since most people are sheep and believe in vaccines. There are not too many people who are not vaccinating and making up fake papers, so it worked! I also found a mobile groomer that doesn’t require vaccines. As for pet care, friends and family do not require vaccine proof. 🙂 Also there may be some in home pet sitters like me who do not require vaccines. I have been pet sitting in my home for 10 years and no client has ever called me saying their dog got sick in my home. Just some thoughts for those people who need to show” proof” of vaccines for those services.
Oh one more thing I wanted to mention. I have a girl Lena who almost 10 years old now. She was vaccinated once from the breeder at 8 weeks old (5 in 1 shot) and again by me (same shot) at 12 weeks old and then never again. I had her titers done last year at 9 yrs old she was still VERY strongly immune to both parvo and distemper from 2 shots ever in her entire life!! I was not as strong in my belief back then, so I was pressured into getting her the shot at 12 weeks by the breeder and my vet. It will not happen again, now I feel confident that natural immunity can and does work! 🙂
I am in the process of trying this protocol with my new puppy and meeting resistance every step of the way between the veterinarians who drew blood for me and the laboratory who is doing the testing! It is so frustrating! Currently my puppy is 16 weeks old and we are waiting for the results to find out if we have immunity. I pray we do because I won’t know what to do if it comes up negative.
Oh, my, Nina, I can almost hear the steel doors in Dr. WhiteCoat’s mind slamming shut on this idea!
Congratulations on being a pioneer! Not always easy, but the rewards will far outweigh the angst you’re going through at the hands of those whose paradigms are being shaken.
Stick with your like minded pack once you’re done there. These dinosaurs won’t survive and you don’t want to get sucked into their tar pits with them.
Hi, I am in the UK. I am going to get a puppy soon who will be 11 weeks old. He had his first injection at 8 weeks so probably too young to do any good. I am not sure I want to vaccinate him again. Lots of parks around here but most dogs probably vaccinated so would he be able to build immunity? I thought about doing injection at 16 weeks and then not again but want to take him out before 16 weeks old for socialisation and toilet training. Advice please?
My dobe had vaccinations at 6 and 9 weeks old while at the breeders. He has not had a thing since. He is now 4 yrs old and I just had the new VacciCheck titre test, done at my home by a mobile vet cheaper than I could have done at a clinic, and he has antibodies for parvo, distemper, and adenovirus still. Not that I am worried about those diseases particularly, as they mostly affect young dogs, puppies or those with adults with poor health, I was simply curious about getting the results. This vet says the levels are at the lowest protection level and he will need shots next year. Of course I won’t do that! I only wish the rabies titre test wasn’t $300.
He has been on a raw diet from the day he came home, with no heartworm/flea/tick meds. I took him to puppy class weekly beginning at 10 wks old, and a variety of places. He was to be a show dog, so he did go in the ring for practice at a dog show at 3 months old, but I cleaned his feet with a thyme spray (‘Benefect’, kills viruses & even HIV) and with colloidal silver. I’m not sure if his antibodies are from exposure or the early vaccines, though his maternal antibodies would interfere with shots at 6 & 9 weeks I believe?
I have often read that truly healthy dogs will not be affected by fleas/ticks/diseases but wondered if that was true or just wishful thinking. I recently had a visiting dog for a month who had picked up fleas (in the winter in Canada, though a mild winter this year) from a cat at another house. I just bathed the dog once with regular soap and water to drown the fleas, and kept the humidity in the house very low with the help of the wood stove as fleas can’t survive in low humidity. My dog and 3 cats (14 & 17 yrs old), all raw fed, did not get any fleas and the original host dog was fine after one bath. When we first moved to this new house 5 yrs ago, I experienced fleas for the first time with bad reactions on one of my cats. I was at a new vet for my other cats urinary tract infection, and he had quickly put flea meds on my her before I could even say anything! I now have a great vet, 45 minutes away but worth the drive. Interestingly, though my dogs have been raw fed for 16 yrs, the cats were not raw fed at that time – I had tried to switch them before unsuccessfully, and just needed to try a different raw food. I came home from that new vet, who recommended prescription kibble for the cats bladder issues and switched the cats to raw that day!
Dear Dr. Falconer,
Thank you so much for this informative article! With my next puppy I want to use this method! But there are a couple of things that are not clear, please answer my questions briefly, if you can find the time:
1) We start exposure at 12 wks, for 5 minutes at a time. Where should we walk our pup until then? Is it OK for him to get in contact with other dogs?
2) When at the dog park, should the other dogs be present (and play with our puppy), or do we need access only to the ground, and avoid other dogs?
3) If all the dogs visiting the park have been vaccinated (which, I think, is likely), is the pup still going to get immunization?
Thank you for all the helpful information on your website!
In our area, they have been vaccinating puppies and at least 4 of these random pups have Parvo, and are in the hospital. Have you heard of this before?? and it seems that the “white coats” are mystified by this. Any suggestions on treating this homeopathically? There are no holistic bets in the area..
This is called “vaccine failure” and it’s widely accepted that parvo vaccine has a failure rate around 40%! The drug reps have admitted it and the practitioners have seen it over and over again.
Homeopathic nosodes, properly used, will do far better. If you haven’t listened yet, check out the Vital Animal Podcast, Episode #2, where Dr. Cooney has wiped out parvo from his practice population by giving new puppy parents parvo nosodes!
I have a unique situation.. We are getting a fur baby April 1st..
We asked the breeder to not give our puppy any of the routine shots she gives before they go to their new homes. She agreed but now we have to sign a release waiver. My question is, being that that puppy will be around/eating/playing/ pooping with the other puppies (and I know vaccines shed ????)… Will our puppy arrive sick or is he in harms way being with these other puppies who will be given vaccines from 5-8 weeks?
I want to know what I should expect. To be honest I’m really worried. I don’t want him vaccinated at all… I just don’t want him catching illness from the others who are
Is there a chance he would actually develop immunity to the parvo/distemper via being exposed to the other dogs or is the contact too much (unlike the 5 min exposure explained above)? Any suggestions of what I should do for him when he arrives? Sorry I commented 2x
Hi Andrea,
That kind of exposure is a more natural route exposure, so it’s far less likely to be harmful than getting injected. In case you missed it, I explain this vast difference here. One part of it is unnatural: the exposure to multiple different viruses at once.
So, it’s possible he could get sick. If he does, I’d suggest seeking out a homeopathic vet for help through it. See my Resources page for the AVH list. You can hire someone for telephone consulting if no one is close.
If there’s still time, you could also help avoid immune disease by strengthening your pup’s immune system before the shots are given to the others. If the breeder will feed a natural supplement that beats all in doing this work, you can send a can of Transfer Factor Canine Complete for her to scoop on this guy’s food twice a day.
I applaud your stand against routine vaccines, but now you need to decide what you’ll do in place of them. You know about the natural exposure protocol from Dr. Manziano, yes?
Thank you so much for your response!!! I am a ball of nerves over here so scared for my puppy to get sick due to his circumstances ????. Just breaks my heart…. I’m hoping he’s nursing well and somehow that’s also helping him some. I’m also upset this breeder is not very pleasant to speak with and you have to be really careful how you address her. I can def send over what you suggested. To be honest I really don’t think she will go to the trouble of doing it. She has 4 litters she’s managing and her other adult dogs. She mentioned having some type of handicap and she said she has no help. her “tone” in her emails are not very freindly. i am familiar about the natural exposure protocol and that was going to be the route we were going in. If he does get sick shortly after arriving, will this also put my 8yr old dog at risk? (He had puppy shots before we got him, since then he hasn’t had a thing!) what about our indoor vax free cat? I’m worried for everyone now.
Can I ask how long after he arrives in our care should I notice symptoms if he is sick? He will be on a direct flight to us April 1 at 8weeks old. She does vaccines at 5,6,7,8 weeks…. Would he already arrive sick or would this be something that starts showing days after?
I will look at the page you suggest for holistic pet care. Should I bring him to have him looked at right away? Would it be too soon for them to know? And if he is sick, will we be able to help him?
She’s also doing “dr Roy’s GI symbiotic gel” protocol on all the dogs.. I’m worried this might be harmful to his gut flora. Do these dogs need the de worming?? Seems excessive to me…
I just want this baby home so we can help him and see how “bad” it is… Hopefully by some miracle he is ok and we can get his health to optimal levels. I am just a mess right now
Hi Andrea,
I’m curious if you decided to keep that puppy you posted about a few years back, and if so how’s he doing?
I’m in the same situation right now. I have a deposit on a 7 week old puppy that I asked the breeder to not give him his 6 wk old “puppy shots”. She agreed and was actually very inquisitive about the reasons why I didn’t want to vaccinate which was nice.
Anyways, so now I have an unvaccinated pup In with his vaccinated litter mates for another 2 weeks.
I’m hoping he will be alright.
Thank you SO very much!!
Update: I contacted one of the veterinarians from the resource page and it’s the second holistic vet to say their office does at least 2 puppy shots…. I feel like I’m crazy for not wanting them to do this. I’m starting to think we should contact this breeder and tell her we won’t be taking this dog anymore 🙁 I amtoo worried about the possibility of him getting sick after he arrives. I’m also worried none of the holistic vets will want to keep him vax free. If you were in this situation, would you take the dog or cancel and find another breeder?
It’s cool that they are able to make animals immune now without vaccinations. I know that would be been amazing for my puppy, he doesn’t do very well with shot. They are starting to make lots of advancements in the veterinary world, I wonder what they will be able to come up with next.
Hi,
I recently adopted a 12-18 month old pug from the Pug Rescue Austin. His records from Westlake Animal say that he is due for his Da2pp booster. Does this mean that he has already had the first shot and this would be his second go ’round? I don’t want to give him this vaccine. Do I need to further expose him, in the way that you have described, with the 5 minute park visits? Also, his records state that he may benefit from airway surgery due to stenotic nares. I am excited for you to get back into town so that we can set up an appointment with you to get this little guy on the right track!
I’m curious about the same thing! My two rescue dogs were UTD on all their vaccs when I got them and now I’ve chosen not to vaccinate them anymore. One was 4 months old and the other was 1.5 yrs when I got them. I thought I’ve read that the vaccines that they’ve already had are enough to keep them immunized for the rest of their lives. But I am concerned if I should be doing something different…
No need to do this in already immune animals, Jen. This is for the puppies, as an alternative to vaccination. And a very effective one at that!
I truly enjoy your website and all the wonderful information it offers. Regarding natural vaccination, would the protocol be the same in an area with a heavy load of distemper and parvo? Where I live there are thousands of street dogs and high incidences of both diseases. Would it still be safe to allow a five minute exposure or would that be too risky? I have known of whole litters of pups to die from people bringing parvo home on their shoes!!
Sir – can you recommend the top holistic vet in Fairfield County Ct? I now feed my Sheltie 95 percent feed with 5 percent chicken. But need a great holistic vet. Thanks.
Hey Brad,
I don’t know about counties out your way, but my colleague Dr. Jeff Feinman is in your state. A fine homeopathic vet.
All the best to you and your lucky Sheltie!
Will, I love this. My Shih Tzu Missy had 5 puppies 4 weeks ago and my vet is quite certain that I’m going to get these puppies vaccinated. I’m in Western Australia. Missy has been vaccinated in the past and as I am just understanding the cons I’m now considering stopping them and also our Golden Retriever.
I discovered your site some months ago and only just realised I could sign up. Obviously I had too many tabs open at once!
I’ve been a holistic of raw diet for 6 years, since we bought our Golden Retriever home, now and with everything I’ve learned (and still learning), I decided to start a Facebook group “As Nature Intended” and it’s so booming now. It was a bit slow at taking off, but now all my promoting is paying off, and yes, I would love you to join. I go out of my way in asking holistic vets, researchers, breeders, carers, vets etc. Having people from all walks of life makes the group worth while and it’s what people are looking for.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/324599134386758/
Anyway, back to Missy. Every year she has had C5 Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo and Canine Cough. Her last one was earlier this year.
Now that she has had her puppies, I’m seriously thinking of discontinuing with vaccinations.
Her puppies – What am I going to do with them as I need to find homes which are going to feed raw? When people advertise puppies, the buyers expect them to be vaccinated, otherwise they won’t touch them. Here they vaccinate at 6-8 weeks but I’m seriously thinking of waiting until they are 10 weeks as I reckon mums milk does it naturally up until then.
I mean, here, this is what is typically expected of you when you get a puppy…
Checklist for new puppy (copied from a Perth vet site)
Vaccination
First at 6-8 weeks
Second at 12 weeks
Third at 16 weeks
De-worming & Flea Control
De-worm Every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age with Canex Puppy suspension.
Then de-worm at 16 weeks of age with Drontal Allwormer.
Heartworm prevention starting from 12 weeks of age.
Flea control program.
I mean really!!??
Yes, a protocol like that is quite common here in the States as well. It’s an amazing mistaken assumption: these animals are born broken. Or incomplete. Or faulty, and it’s only these vaccines and poisons that can make them whole.
Whaaa??
I’d hope that there’s a growing community in your country actually seeking naturally raised pups, like there is here. If there isn’t yet, perhaps your FB site will grow one. My Resources page has a few natural rearing breeder lists. Maybe some are down under, I’ve not dug into them deep enough to know.
I’ll join your FB page one day, probably when my course is finished, but too much going on to be of any value there now. Do invite me via FB itself, so I’ll see it when I’m on that platform. Good for you in starting it.
After phoning the local vets (a whole two!!), it seems they STILL vaccinate yearly. When I questioned them, they told me that they do it yearly otherwise they would lose business. Well DUH! This makes me so angry!!
I should have added… With my puppies I ended up getting them vaccinated at 10 weeks (it wasn’t easy, but I never had much choice. They’ll be due a booster in a years time. I’ll be informing their new carers about the titer test and hopefully they won’t ever need another.
There is information and research available from breeders in North America that says puppies are protected via their mother for the first few weeks of life, but do keep them away from unknown dogs (aka..un-vaccinated) during this time. Then when their own immune system begins to kick in, give their first vaccinations at 20 weeks. Followed by one-time boosters, these dogs then have blood titre testing for the rest of their lives, which prove they are still protected! No more dangerous vaccination protocols year after year. In North America however, in many jurisdictions, a 2 or 3-yr rabies vac may be required by municipal law.
Our own “old school” veterinarian has agreed that one of our dogs will no longer have immunizations except rabies for, likely, the rest of her life (she is 4), as she reacts every time from immunizations with diarhhea, long term itching, and general malaise. Her skin turns pink for weeks! This same vet actually said that “we have been over-immunizing our pets for years, and if given their first series, followed by boosters, they should be fine for years.” I almost fell over when I heard him admit to this. I’m sorry, I forget the names of the kennels that were included in the research mentioned in my first sentence, but digging around with the right key words on the web will bring up fascinating stuff. Go with the info from responsible sources. They will be long time professional kennels, and research from universities. Good luck, and stick to your guns!!
Thank you – this IS the same Dr. Dym – compare website photos:
http://www.doctordym.com/links.html
http://www.1800petmeds.com/bio_michael_dym.jsp
I had a 1 hour phone consultation with him and he is working up a treatment plan for Toby.
Excellent, Cassi. Please keep us posted here. He’s a good homeopathic vet who’ll be able to steer a course towards cure for your pup.
Dr. Dym has a pet health blog at 1-800PetMeds, a helpful place to go…..maybe it’s a different Dr. Dym? He seems to support both traditional and homeopathic veterinary medicine.
With deepest gratitude and tears flowing I thank you for this referral – I have called and left a message for Dr. Dym and await his response. I pray I have not permanently damaged my preciousToby – why, oh why, did I not do the right thing? I will never, ever, again get a pet vaccinated.
I have been racking my brain for the answer to my own question above. I know now, any amount of hours of driving to distant locations to achieve the needed exposure for natural immunity seem petty compared to what we went through last night and are dealing with now. And the fear I had about doing things differently feel completely unjustified and ignorant. The agony of wondering if I’ve permanently damaged Toby’s body or created a chronic disease that he will have to live with all his life makes me ill and full of remorse. It’s such a hard lesson to learn when you hurt your beloved pet. I hope others learn from my mistake (and maybe say a prayer for Toby.)
Cassie,
I’ve recently joined this website and am wondering how Toby is doing? My dog, she was 3 at the time, had a serious reaction to vaccinations—-she was given the booster for parvo, distemper, adenovirus, etc. and also the rabies
vaccination all at the same time. When I took her back to the vet because of the reaction, he told me she might die. Long story short, she is fine and this year I had her titered–my vet, although reluctantly, sent her blood sample to Dr. Jean Dodd, Hemopet, in CA and they did the parvo and distemper portion and she sent a sample for the rabies portion to Kansas State Univ. Reports came back “Very high level”—she needs nothing. Last week I took her to Camp Bow Wow to play and they accept the titer report. YAY!!! I hope Toby is doing great and by now has been titered. It just hurts your heart to see them ill.
If a16 week-old pup is taken to a low-traffic private dog park (where most likely all the dogs have been vaccinated), once every 3 weeks (total: 3 exposures) for a duration of 5 minutes per exposure, will the immunity “take”?
The study does not address Adenovirus (part of the DAPP puppy vaccine) does this virus respond to this same “natural” protocol?
I understand that annual vaccine boosting is harmful, but in the case of the DAPP puppy vaccine, if the initial puppy vaccination was given at 9 weeks by the breeder, (and the mother’s antibodies blocked most of the efficacy of that shot), is the risk of vaccine illness reduced if the pup receives a final DAPP shot at 16 weeks?
Low traffic? Why? You want exposure, Cassi, and I’m not sure you’ll get it where you describe. Look for high traffic, ruffian overrun parks. The protocol is right, but if they’re all vaccinated, you’ll not likely find any wild viruses there. Maybe some oddball modified ones, if someone is shedding their vaccine viruses.
Adenovirus? Meh. Not an issue. Nobody dying of that, certainly, unless they’ve got serious health compromises.
No, to your last question. Every vaccine entering the body is a risky proposition. Probably more so in someone whose immune system was assaulted earlier.
Reread the blog post about natural exposure and see where these pups went and the fantastic immunity they received as a result.
As you gain confidence, your fear around this will fall away. The “boy in the bubble” was an anomaly. If you want a stout immune system, you’ve got to exercise it! Search on “Amish” in the search box and read about their amazing exposure as babies onwards and their lack of asthma.
This may come under the heading of “I told you so” but I hope there will be some mercy as we have limited facilities where we live and ultimately made the decision to have Toby vaccinated with his second DAPP shot last Wednesday at 16 weeks. Roughly 48 hours later all hell broke loose. Toby suddenly exhibited head bobbing, lack of balance and inability to stand, then rolling eyes back, and by the time we got to the emergency hospital, he was yelping with pain – determined to be dry eye and scratched cornea in both eyes. Vitals were good and after 30 minutes even better. Blood tests were fine and inconclusive of any condition. Vet recommended we leave him overnight – we said a resounding “NO”. We have 3 eye meds to administer: Remend for cornea, an Antibiotic and eye moisture ointment. Status today: head bobbing gone. Walking, eating and drinking. Wearing the protective neck collar to prevent eye scratching. It’s a mystery – was this all congenital and dormant or a reaction to the vaccine? Only way to know is MRI (for syringomyelia or other brain disorder) and tests for Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca. Breeder will take puppy back if congenital – but how do we give back a pup we now love and cherish? Needless to say, I feel deeply guilty that I didn’t go the other route…but we have NO homeopathic vets here – only “wholistic” and they all vaccinate. Please put us on your new patient wait list.
Argghhh, what a heartache, Cassi. You don’t want to wait till December for me, you want to start an appropriate remedy ASAP. This is clearly a vaccine reaction, nothing else.
If no homeopathic vet is near you, that doesn’t matter one iota. Get on the phone with someone who’s AVH certified and practices mostly or all homeopathy in his/her practice. See if Dr. Todd Cooney in Indiana can fit you in. Search on my Resources page for the AVH list, then search by percentage of practice homeopathic.
Oh, Todd may be out teaching now. But maybe not, worth a try. I’ll shoot him and another gal an email to see if they can help.
Damn. Double damn.
Cassi, Dr. Michael Dym, a colleague I trust in Florida, is available to help you. He asks that you contact him via his website: http://www.doctordym.com
All the best.
Question! I moved to the four corners area and today I found out that dogs from the reservation are getting sick from distemper and many are being euthanized, why are these dogs not having a natural immunity? The other thing is that there were dogs transferred to the local shelter that may have distemper and if they do, they are going to euthanize all the dogs! Why would that be needed? Thank you!
Hi Marti,
It’s all about the minimal exposure I spoke about: 5 minutes on the ground, once a week and go home. Very different mingling continuously with infected animals, nose to nose. Can’t compare the two.
I’m guessing the logic on euthanasia is based on history, but I’d ask them. They’ve probably lost most of the dogs in their care from past distemper outbreaks. It’s a deadly disease. Euthanasia is extreme, but for a shelter, economically viable compared to nursing a kennel full of dogs with distemper that will likely die later. Or, if they don’t, will not be placeable.
Hello Dr Will… I’m a member of your Pack and am learning so much from you. I have been anti-animal vaccines for years and after a lot of research, am anti-human vaccines as well. It is a deep, dark rabbit hole filled with cognitive dissonance! 🙁
But I have a quick question pls. A friend of mine has 8 doggos. One just recently joined the pack from living on the street. A couple of months later her tiny teacup Chihuahua was diagnosed with distemper. I’ve been helping her with treatment… using high dose Vitamin A and Vitamin C, andrographis… and just recently we found a local homeopath (we are in MX) who mixed up a homeopathic nerve remedy for the tiny guy.
So far he is responding well… he has some leg twitches and we are hoping the homeopathic treatment will help with that.
My question… the little street guy and the chihuahua are good buddies… the puppy is now about 6 months old and we are going to find him a home in the states. So of course vaccinations come up… only rabies is required to enter the US thank goodness. However, new families want to know the puppies are vaccinated.
My question is… since this puppy has undoubtedly been exposed to the distemper virus (no symptoms at all tho), would giving him a vaccination FOR distemper cause him problems? It’s so hard to get individual vaccinations these days.
I have not been able to find any info re vaccinating if a pup has previously been exposed. Tomorrow I’m going to see if I can get his titers tested locally, but kind of doubt that. Perhaps will need to order a kit online.
Can you please let me know if vaccination following exposure can cause some problems? Thank you so much.
It’s entirely possible, Carol, sure. Your titer may be the best bet, as it shows IMMUNITY, which a vaccine certificate only assumes. Please contact Dr. John Robb at ProtectThePets.com for the best way to do that affordably,
Also, if you’re treating distemper affected dogs, the distemper nosode in 200C has been curative as well as preventative. Please contact me from my support link (lower right, green icon) if you’d like help getting some.
Dear Dr Falconer,
As a microbiologist from South Africa, I am quite alarmed by the views I see often in USA about rabies, for exampe that one must be bitten by a rabid animal to contract rabies. It is not true! The most common human deaths from rabies occur in S.A. where cows have been bitten by rabid dogs, and the herdsman sticks an arm down the cow’s throat to remove whatever seems stuck there to cause the cow to salivate. The unbitten arm, covered in rabid cow saliva, seems innocent enough, is washed, and later the person dies.
The virus can get into the body through the skin with just the tiniest of microscopic damage to the skin. NO bite needed.
Also untrue, is the need to die after being exposed as is reported this century still, in PubMed. A series of four one-a-day injections after exposure and *before* symptoms start, is all that is needed. It must be done, but is not a big deal as long as the person KNOWS they were possibly exposed to rabid saliva (not a bite) and they then act to get the shots. Correct knowledge is power here.
I hope this helps your anti-vaccine campaign with which I fully agree. By the way, nautral immunity as you advocate, increases beneficial Th-1 cytokine actiuvity where vaccines do the opposite and damage the thymus, decreasing Th-1 cytokine activity and its ability to defend the system.
Namaste,
Irene
At what age would you take the pups to the dog park? Between 8-12 weeks? After 12 weeks?
Hi Gail,
See the update to Dr. Manziano’s protocol: starting at 12 weeks is best. Key is: short exposures, repeated weekly for a couple times, then a titer test to see how well the response is.
Hi Will,
This is a really informative article. We don’t have Rabies here in Northern Ireland but have had Parvo and Distemper in years gone by. All our pack of 13 Siberian Huskies have been vaccinated in the past against all the Canine Diseases, I was only giving them Boosters every 2 or 3 years but am leaning more towards not doing this anymore as we don’t show our dogs, we do compete in Sled Dog Races in the cooler weather. I just don’t understand why we Humans are vaccinated as youngsters and then never again and yet we’re supposed to administer Boosters to our Canines/Felines every year…
Hi Siobhan, and welcome!
Yes, the fact is, there’s no science behind repeating vaccinations what so ever, so if you opt in to do this, you only gain risk, no benefit. You live in the enviable position of not having rabies laws at all, so it should be easy to drop out of future vaccinations.
If you haven’t quite “owned” the reasons to stop, you’ll want to read two key pages I’ve written: Vaccinations: Efficacy and Vaccinations: Safety. And there’s the Facebook page now filling with stories of the damage done to animals whose owners opted in to the vaccinations.
All the best with your pack!
I just learned that raccoons that live in the Walnut Creek Park area in Northwest Austin are dying from distemper. I don’t know how many have died, but there was one that came out of the woods to the middle of the street recently and the city was called. It was confirmed to have distemper. This is a park that I take my dogs to daily and have for the past 17 years. The two dogs I have now, went to the park when they were very young puppies. One dog was only about 4 or 5 weeks old when he was taken on his first walk in the woods. The other dog was about 7 or 8 weeks old. I have only given them a rabies vaccination. I feel that because they were out in the park where there are all kinds of wildlife, they are protected. I hope this assumption is correct. Thanks for the article!
Nice, Marti. I’ll bet both of your dogs have titers that are sky high from this exposure.
Are you reading this, Austin puppy owners?
Thanks Marti.
Prevention is an ancient method through the old fashion Neighborhood Chicken-pox, and measles Parties, where infected family announced their children had childhood disease – inviting the neighboring parents to bring their children to the party.
Practically everyone in neighborhood – young to elderly constantly in contact with these infections. Now some parents getting Chicken-pox, measles from recently vaccinated children – therefore a few colleagues having unvaxed children bringing them to work for exposure……..
However – misconception is that the children don’t “take” because they didn’t become ill. And not sure how immune effective a vaccination virus is compared to raw natural virus.
Also older adults getting shingles – premises – they are not in contact with little children now days – shingles may lie dormant for years.
An web search for Chicken-pox parties – lots of sites – even a Facebook page — Let’s have a Chickenpox Party | Facebook
Yes, Joan, I was thinking of these as I wrote the post. I think perhaps a better model, based on this parvo model, would be a “chicken pox drive by,” where the neighbor kids stop in for a brief bedside visit and go home again. I suspect they’d get the immunity without the discomfort of a full blown disease state.
I’m sure a natural exposure results in far more efficient immunization than anything a vaccination could provide.
Thanks for your comment.
Does this work for rabies, too?
And if so, is it possible to submit a titer level as proof of immunization to the City for complying with ordinances?
Thanks for all your info; someone on my facebook page was in anxiety about this very topic you wrote about. 🙂
Hi Donna,
There’s two things working against you here, unfortunately:
1. Rabies is spread through virus in saliva, and that saliva has to be “injected” by a bite. No natural exposure from the ground like the others.
2. Very few governing bodies now recognize titers in lieu of vaccination. They should, but most don’t. When they finally do, we’ll really save a whole lot of illness, because animals vaccinated early in life will have a titer for many long years.
Hmmm, you’ve given me an idea of where we need to exert pressure…
Thank you for the reply! Please do “exert” where you can. For many years, there was no such thing as waivers or exemptions from mandatory vaccines for children. What changed? Many parents, one by one, sharing truth, “exerting” in their sphere of influence. So it will be for our vital pets.
All of us must exert the pressure….on vaccine junky vets, groomers, dog spa owners, even animal control. Us animal owners need to find out if we can legally refuse a rabies vaccine for our animals. Especially those of us who feed a species appropriate raw diet, don’t give them drugs, use chemicals, and all the rest that destroys health and the immune system. Perhaps it’s time for some civil disobedience; the law is wrong and no person or government should be allowed to force toxic substances into any body – animal or human. Thank God for great vets like this! May you increase daily and fill the earth.
I was talking to a natural rearing breeder and her dog was immunized for rabies without a vaccine. She did a titre on one of her six years old boys and it showed immunity for rabies.
Maybe I missed reading in this article the importance of an animal to eat a species appropriate raw diet is most important when immunizing without vaccines.
I’ve heard of this a couple of times now, Fern, and have to guess the animal in question had close contact with a recently rabies vaccinated animal who was shedding virus. It’s very interesting to me, and hard to understand with what is commonly understood about rabies virus transmission. It’s not aerosol or fecal, it’s in saliva, and usually moves by biting.
Diet is sure a great help in immunity, though I suspect there’s a fair amount of latitude here.
Thanks for sharing this story.
Dear Dr. Falconer,
My 15-week-old Norwich Terrier puppy is raw fed, and was tragically vaccinated twice with combo shots…(but that story is for another day.)
She just spent an entire day with my parents’ 12-year-old dachshund. As dogs will do, they were in one another’s mouths all day. The doxy has been, unfortunately, revaccinated annually for rabies and had, in fact, had another booster one month ago. (He’s experiencing chronic health problems but my parents are “old school” and I can’t convince them that they should stop vaccinating the poor old guy!)
During a brief but very enthusiastic period of rather rough play, the doxy had, understandably, had enough of my puppy, chomped down and held her muzzle in his teeth. After he let her go I found blood in her mouth. Because she is teething now, I couldn’t be sure whether he had broken the skin, or if she had lost more teeth.
My questions for you are:
A) How long does a dog shed virus after receiving a rabies vaccine?
B) If a dog has had rabies vaccines, can he pass on immunity to another dog through a bite?
C) Might my puppy have acquired immunity from the Doxy? and if so, how soon would titers indicate that immunity?
Thank you so much for this mission you’re on, Doctor. I use your site as my dog-rearing bible!
Hi Sheriee,
I’ve heard of unvaccinated dogs getting other titers from consorting with recently vaccinated pups, so yes, that’s possible with distemper, parvo, and similar MLV vaccines. “Viral shedding,” happens with live vaccines, but all rabies vaccine is killed and so, can’t shed by definition.
I’d titer about 3-5 weeks post exposure to see if your pup acquired immunity.
I’m so glad you’re finding Vital Animal of use. Please share it with those you think it may resonate with. The more minds we can shift, the faster we can change this crazy world of medical damage done in the name of “prevention.”
Best of health to you and all those in your care!
You said vaccinated for rabies early in life for lifetime immunity. What is the optimal age for rabies vaccination? I plan on vaccinating my pup once – rabies only. Any particular rabies brand? My pup is 8 weeks now. She is 1/2 border collie, 1/2 poodle with a touch of golden retriever. I think she will be no bigger than 40 – 45 lbs.
Donna,
Where I live titers are accepted for rabies. I had a Bichon Frise that was given a rabies vaccine at age 9. A few weeks later he showed symptoms of AIHA… hemolytic anemia. It got worse until I finally realized what was happening. He had to undergo blood transfusions on three separate occasions while taking steroid meds. They eventually stopped working and we put him on cyclosporine. This saved his life and he was able to live normally until age 16 when he died of heart failure. It cost me several thousand dollars in vet bills to keep him alive and it was a nightmare because you never knew when he might need a transfusion. Hospitalizations follow the transfusions and the bills add up quickly. The single worst vaccine IMO is the rabies vaccine. The same dose given to a 150 lb dog is given to a 15 lb dog! The adjuvents in the vaccine (and all vaccines) are toxic in and of themselves. Things like mercury, aluminum and formaldehyde are a few examples. I just don’t understand why these toxins are put into vaccines in the first place. Instead of preventing disease most vaccines actually cause disease.
Your last sentence captures my experience, Robert, though I’d change “most” to “all.” By definition, we are injecting disease organisms into a healthy body. Along with the toxins you mentioned. Remind me again: how is that going to make one healthier?
It won’t make the poor animal healthier but it sure makes the vet a lot richer. Surely this must have occurred to them by now? Or are they so brain-washed by vet school that they don’t see it?
Wow, I love this. Makes so much sense to me. Getting the general population to buy this, arrrggggg! Challenging considering most people go to their Vet and never ask any questions, they just do what the Vet says. Apparently, White Coats are Godly! Well, keep on Doc, we’ll all keep spreading the word of Vital Health. Thanks for the article!
Agreed, Juliet. And this whole site is really only for the thinkers out there. It’s suitable to share with those who aren’t stuck in their thinking, but are willing to look outside the box and consider there’s more than one view of health and disease.
Thanks for being here on the path with us.
It’s the same concept as overuse of antibacterial cleaners creating super bugs. We need exposure to different things to build up the immunity! Our younger generation is trying to protect from everything instead of allowing immunities to build up.
Exactly, Shelley. And we now have unheard of levels of allergies and asthma, virtually unheard of when I went through school.
Clearly a connection (along with the crazy levels of vaccinations kids get nowadays!)
I know every time I add a comment here I always include common sense and this one is no different.
I was born in beautiful Venezuela which is located in South America. I vividly remember all the babies in the family crawling in the “not so cleaned bleached floors”, I know some of you must aaaghh at this thought but as my grandmother “lela” always said “don’t worry they are creating more defenses like that than you can ever imagine”. Up to this day I have to say, we are a very healthy family and country for that matter our only downfall ..the politicians !
Love this, Maria. So true. I look at it as “exercising the immune system.”
But antibodies are only created when a body has had a disease and unable to prevent it taking hold. If they had no symptoms, then I can’t see how they developed antibodies. The creation of antibodies, in my understanding, comes when the body has FAILED to allow the pathogen entry and this is a last ditch mechanism.
Not so, Madeleine. Antibodies mean response to exposure, as it was in these pups.
Their owners clearly would have known if they’d failed at parvo or distemper, right?
Fascinating info. The small doses make so much sense. Thank you for sharing your learning.
This is fascinating. But I do have a question. The part I don’t understand is how do the puppies come into contact with live virus without contracting the disease?
I thought even one exposure with no antibodies would result in disease. Like chickenpox as a kid.
It’s relative to the amount of exposure: a taste vs overwhelm. The old homeopaths used to look in the doorway at their patients with deadly diseases, get a bead on their state of illness to be able to prescribe, and then back out. They got their healing work done but didn’t succumb. The pups did similarly by having a very limited exposure.
It’s always all about the resistance anyway. Innate resistance can handle small amounts of exposure and build immunity. That’s what this shows.
ahh ok. Hence the 5min exposure that was recommended. Now I get it. Thanks again Doc.
Dr falconer – I’m wondering how to proceed with my 12.5 week old pup.
She got 1 distemper parvo adeno and something else at 8 weeks. I started walking her around the area I live in – no dog parks here. We live in S.C. and there are various critters around. Is that enough exposure? Can I use nosodes as prevention and if so how often? I bought your kit awhile ago. Thank you
You can and should use the nosodes. The vaccine was given too early to elicit any immunity and your pup is just about to reach the age of susceptibility. The way to use them is on the page you purchased them, please download from there and start them right away. https://vitalanimal.com/parvo-distemper-nosodes-kit/
Hello ALL. I’m new here but I’d like to comment on prevention of parvo, distemper, and any other viral or bacterial disease. Building natural immunity is the absolute best way to avoid these things but short of that there is another way to add a “second” immune system to your dog. I use ionic/colloidal silver in my pets water dish only occasionally and I’ve never had parvo, distemper, or any other viral disease in my dogs. We actually breed Affinpinchers and Rhodesian Ridgebacks. In the formative stages we put a teaspoon of this solution in the dogs water daily. After five or six months it’s used once weekly in the water. It is completely non toxic. We make our own 10 ppm solution using only distilled water and .9999 fine silver. Very easy to make or you can purchase it online. If your dog gets a viral infection of any type you can use this to treat it. Kennel cough responds to it quickly. Just thought I’d give all a heads up. I’m not familiar with homeopathy but I hope to learn more here. I have a doctorate degree in Oriental Medicine (OMD) and am a licensed acupuncturist (L. Ac.). I’ve been treating animals under veterinary supervision for over 25 years with acupuncture.
What could I use to treat my dogs hip dysplasia and arthritis in her back legs?
How do I get this preventive or treatment for parvovirus on line??? I’m in desperate need of this information please help:-( please I beg you !!! Please help me from loosing any more puppies, even the ones I take to the vet,, they can’t even save ,,an cost me hundreds of dollars, I love this concept, & desperately want to know more!! Please help me, please????? I moved into deseased area. An have bleached, an everything I have been told to do , I take in resques, an just have a couple litters a year to pay for thier care , I go by vet recommended worming an vaccines, doesn’t work! ¡!!! I’m So devasted!!! I’m on limited income and a few puppies helps me to take care of the rescues I take in ! But it’s breaking my heart ,,loosing these precious babies,, please help me,, please. 🙁